어떻게 '나사'의 기술이 고래상어를 구하는데 도움을 줄까?

How NASA technology can help save whale sharks -- the world's largest fish

Thousands of people around the world are lending a hand to help save the world's biggest fish. / By taking photos of whale sharks, these "citizen scientists" are providing researchers with critical information about the giant sharks' population hotspots and migration routes.

전세계의 수천명의 사람들은 이끌어 왔다. 구하는 것을 돕기 위해서, 세계에서 가장 큰 물고기를. /
고래 상어 사진을 찍음으서, 이"시민과학자들"은 제공하고 있다. 연구자들에게, 중요한 정보를, 거대한 상어의 인구(무리)가 밀집된핫스팟과 이동경로에 대한

- leading a hand
- citizen scientists

Whale sharks are endangered, with estimates suggesting populations worldwide have plummeted by more than 50% over the past 75 years. / Although they are protected in many countries, whale sharks are still killed by the fishing industry -- caught deliberately for their fins (shark fin soup is a delicacy in parts of Asia) and as accidental by catch, especially in tuna fishing areas where whale sharks and tuna swim close together. / Whale sharks are also threatened by oil and gas drilling, vessel strikes and climate change.

고래상어들은 멸종위기해 처해 있고, 추정하건데, (고래상어) 무리는 전세계적으로 급락했다. 지난 75년동안 50%이상 /

비록 그들은 보호받고 있지만, 많은 나라들에서, 고래상어는 여전히 죽임을 당한다 어선산업에 의해 -- 그들의 꼬리를 위해(고래상어꼬리스푸는 진귀한 음식이다 몇몇 아시아 국가에서) 고의로 잡히거나, 실수로 인해 잡힌다. 특히 참치 포획 구역에서 고래상어와 참치는 수영을 함께 한다. 고래상어들은 또한 위협받고 있다. 오일과 가스 시추 작업,선박 산업들 및 기후변화로

- endangered 멸종 위기에 처한
- Plummeted (plummet)급락하다, 급격히 하락하다
- deliberately 고의로
- deliberately 진귀한 음식
- as accidental 우연히, 실수로 (인위적인 실수인경우가 많음?)
- drilling (석유) 시추
- vessel strike 선박 산업

The world's biggest fish, whale sharks are endangered by human activity, including fishing, oil and gas drilling and climate change.
To help protect the species, Australian marine biologist Brad Norman co-founded The Wildbook for Whale Sharks, a photo identification database that went online in 2003.
Members of the public, scientists and whale shark tour operators around the world contribute photos of whale sharks to the system, which uses NASA technology to map their locations and track their movements. Today, the database holds over 70,000 submissions from more than 50 countries -- making it one of the biggest crowd-sourced conservation projects in the world.

세계에서 가장 큰 물고기인 고래상어들은 멸종위기에 처해 있다, 인간활동과 어획, 오일 가스 시추, 기후변화에 인하여.

이 종을 돕기 위해, 호주 바다 생물학자인 Brad Norman은 공동 설립했다. "The Wildbook for whale sharks"를 2003년에 인터넷에 사진 증명 데이타베이스를  2003년 온라인에

 

 

Despite their imposing size -- whale sharks can grow up to 20 meters (65 feet) long -- these gentle giants don't pose a danger to swimmers. Feeding on plankton and tiny marine organisms, they cruise at a leisurely maximum of three miles per hour, allowing snorkelers and divers to get up close.

Norman has been studying these charismatic creatures for over 25 years. He first swam with a whale shark in the turquoise waters of Ningaloo reef on Western Australia's northern coast. "It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had," he recalls. "I'll never forget it."

WhaleShark_Loop_01.mp4

Marine biologist Brad Norman photographing a whale shark.

That whale shark -- nicknamed Stumpy because of his deformed tail -- was the first entry in a photo-identification library that Norman created in 1995. The library, later operated by Norman's conservation organization ECOCEAN, became the foundation of The Wildbook for Whale Sharks.

A slow swimmer, Stumpy is relatively easy to keep up with, says Norman. "I see him nearly every year and ... I think 'G'day mate, how you goin'?"

Since that first encounter, Norman has swum with whale sharks on thousands of occasions -- and says he still gets a buzz out of it every time.

Images submitted to The Wildbook for Whale Sharks are analysed by an algorithm that scans the spots and stripes on the animal's skin, which are as unique as a human fingerprint, says Norman. The algorithm identifies the shark by searching the database for a matching pattern.

WhaleShark_loop_02.mp4

Whale sharks are identified by the markings on their skin.

Adapted from technology first developed for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope program, the algorithm works for whale sharks because their skin markings form patterns similar to stars in the night sky.

Norman says that collectively, the data on whale shark locations and migration routes informs decisions on management strategies for habitat protection. "I can only be in one place one at one time," he says. "It's so important to have members of the public assisting with our project."

 

Is swimming with whale sharks good for them?

Norman says he would "encourage anybody that gets the opportunity to swim with a whale shark."

But more boats, snorkelers and divers in whale shark areas could be problematic. Norman cautions that impact on the sharks must be minimized.

In Western Australia, whale shark tour operators are strictly regulated with limits on the numbers of people and licensed vessels in the water near the animals at any one time -- and a percentage of sales going towards whale shark industry management.

 

In the Maldives, whale sharks are a popular attraction but government guidelines designed to protect the sharks from harassment are frequently breached. This can cause stress for the animals, while boat collision injuries can impact their development and ability to travel long distances.

Whale sharks in the Philippines are routinely provided with food to attract them to places where visitors can easily see them. This can change the sharks' diving patterns and metabolism, while a high level of scarring indicates increased boat strikes. The crowding from tourist activity and feeding can also lead to coral reef degradation.

 

원문 기사 출처는 CNN이며, 영어공부 목적으로 퍼왔음!
This article from CNN, I just scrap for my engligh study.
(Original Link)